At a whopping 523,000 square feet, Buffalo’s Central Terminal literally towers over the city’s East Side, a hulking image of Buffalo’s glory days.

But after years of neglect following its shutdown in 1979, there are efforts to turn the landmark around, albeit slowly.

Those efforts kicked into high gear this summer, with dozens of partners from trade unions to local school groups working with Central Terminal Restoration Corp. to revitalize and reopen the building that is part of Buffalo’s skyline.

Marilyn Rodgers, executive director of the CTRC, rattles off lists of projects, careful not to forget anyone who has contributed to the effort, especially the board members who supplement the work of one paid staff member.

“It’s an amazing group of people, and more and more folks are interested in coming onboard that will expand our skill sets even more,” Rodgers said. “And we have a lot of great partners. We really needed to embrace partnerships throughout our community to show the value of the project itself.”

The art deco structure on Buffalo’s East Side saw just 50 years of use. Opened in 1929, the terminal shut down in 1979 when Amtrak opted to use the smaller and less costly downtown Exchange station, as well as a new suburban site on Dick Road in Cheektowaga.

Though the rails in the terminal were used for freight, the building was neglected for years before being transferred to the CTRC in 1997.

Restoration efforts began in earnest in late 2009, when the corporation created a reuse and redevelopment plan for the complex. A master plan calls for the facility to remain a public space, with supplementary yet supportive programs occupying the remainder of the complex.

That includes entertainment and cultural programming, as well as transportation and commercial use.

Plans now call for the Center for Restoration Arts & Sciences. Negotiations with several anchor tenants and partner developers are under way, Rodgers said.

Already, several renovation projects have been completed at the site, ranging from the terrazzo floors to parts of the roof and repairs to the entryway.

Restoring the beauty inside the facility is drawing others to the project, once they see there’s hope for the site, and it helps give future tenants a glimpse of the future.

“This provides a good view of what the main concourse will look like when we’re through with remediation and restoration,” Rodgers said. “Pro2 realizes the importance of the terminal and being able to provide a tremendous visitor experience during our tours.”

Pro2 Facility Services donated its work to restore the terrazzo floor in the entry lobby. It involved a deep-cleaning process, sealing and double waxing. Owner Ken Casseri said his company will apply the same techniques as it moves into other areas, repairing the poured-concrete terrazzo.

“The overall look of that main room can be completely restored to the old luster of what the building was,” he said. “Those beautiful terrazzo floors are period floors from a century ago, but they last basically forever. And almost nothing looks the way a beautiful terrazzo floor does.”

The value of the work to restore the floors in a room that’s already been completed is more than $100,000. Every part of the restoration job at Central Terminal shares a similar value, which is why having partners and corporate supporters is so vital to the project, Rodgers said.

A team of retired sheet metal workers is working to replicate the sconces that once lined the main concourse. Union workers from Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Local 3 are soliciting volunteers and bringing in the Iroquois Job Corps to repair the exterior entryways.

Other projects are funded through city and state grants, including one that teaches building and construction trades to at-risk youth.

An in-kind donation by Solar Liberty was recently completed that saw the installation of a 50,000-watt solar panel system on the terminal roof, enough to increase power to the building at least fivefold while cutting energy costs by 50 percent.

The CTRC is working with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) to connect the power into the building.

“That will allow us to do a lot more work within the terminal, as well,” Rodgers said.

Now that phase one of the roof work is complete and water won’t be leaking into the building anymore, tile work can begin. That’s a major task as 75 percent of the concourse is covered in Gustavino tile, which will require 1,600 replacement tiles. Boston Valley Terra Cotta in Orchard Park is helping with that task.

Other partners include Carmina Wood & Morris P.C., which is helping with design work and participating on the board.

Much work remains. Phases two and three of the roof replacement will require raising about $350,000 or finding in-kind donations. That’s in addition to all the masonry work and more than 400 new windows that need replacement, as well as HVAC systems.

Total cost for those projects could reach $19 million, though that will be reduced by grants and donated services.

Rodgers is confident a series of sunset tours will help bring in visitors and dollars. They begin Aug. 10.

“We’ve been working on things to garner better attention. You just have to give projects a chance and get the right people to support it,” she said.

If all goes as planned, the first tenants could move into the Central Terminal by late 2016.